The Real Meaning Behind Tyrion's Reaction To Jon Snow and Daenerys' Sex Scene on Game of Thrones

WARNING: Spoilers ahead for Game of Thrones Season 7 finale (if you've been living under a rock and still haven't watched it yet).

The Game of ThronesSeason 7 finale, which aired over a year ago, dropped the major bombshell that Jon Snow, now heir to the Iron Throne, had just unknowingly slept with his aunt, Daenerys Targaryen. To add a layer of confusion, during the sex scene, we see Tyrion Lannister, who secretively lurks outside Jon and Daenerys' room with a confusing face.

HBO

What was the meaning of his reaction? Was he plotting against the couple? Was he aware of a secret danger ahead? Peter Dinklage, the actor who plays Lannister, finally explained the "complicated" meaning behind the scene to Entertainment Weekly (per Esquire):

"A lot of the time with Tyrion, it’s professional and personal. Obviously, he has feelings for Daenerys. He loves her — or thinks he does. She’s awe-inspiring. He’s questioning that because he doesn’t have a good track record for falling in love. There’s jealousy wrapped up in there. And he loves Jon Snow, too. They’re the two people he has the most in common with, in a way — they’re both outsiders in their own families who have refused to follow the path their family has taken, and hopefully for the better. He’s wondering how smart of a move [Jon and Dany getting romantically involved is], because passion and politics don’t mix well. He knows the two of them getting together could be very dangerous."

HBO

Jeremy Podeswa, who directed that episode, also gave his interpretation of Tyrion's reaction to The New York Times last year. He said:

"From my point of view, Tyrion always seemed three steps ahead. As long as there is a professional alliance between Dany and Jon, that’s something that everybody wants. We can imagine that that’s a helpful alliance. But when things get personal, then people make decisions based on their emotions, and that can complicate matters going forward, so I think he sees the potential here for things to get very messy. Usually, historically, nothing good comes out of relationships becoming more complicated! [Laughs] It’s also a question of what’s going to be his role within this new alliance, right? So there’s a kind of caution here."

Like Dinklage, Podeswa thinks that Tyrion is "a little bit in love" with Daenerys, but not entirely in a romantic way. "There’s a huge respect for her, and maybe there’s a slight romantic element to that, but it’s more of a jockeying in terms of who has real power," the director said. "With Tyrion, it’s all about who is going to have sway over her?"

Game of Thrones Season 8 doesn't return until sometime in 2019, so you have plenty of time to theorize what Tyrion's reaction to Jon and Dany's new relationship really means.

A Part of Hearst Digital Media
Harper's BAZAAR participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.